Machine for harvesting and cutting ensilage.



J. s. SPANGLER. MACHINE FOR HARVESTING AND CUTTING ENSILAGE.

APPLICATION FILED JAN.20, 1914. 1,1 17,460.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

& w)

\ dww if Withesse Patented Nov. 17, 1914.

ESTING AND CUTTING ENSILAGE.

APPLICATION FILED $1111.20 1914 Patented NOV. 17, 1914.

Attorneys,

J. S SPANGLER. MACHINE FUR HARVESTING AND CUTTING ENSILAGE,

APPLICATION FILED JAN. Q0, 13

Patented Nov. 17, 1914.

Attorneys.

J. S. SPANGLBR.

APPLICATION FILED JAN 20,1914.

Patented Nov. 17, 1914.

5 SHBETS SHEET 4 AttorneysQ Witnesses J. S. SPANGLERK MACHINE FOBHARVESTING AND CUTTING ENSILAGE.

APPLICATION FILED JAN 20, 1914. 1,1 1?,460, Patented Nov. 17, 1914.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 5.

Inventor,

kalwwj Attorneys.

Witnesses JAMES SAVAGE SPANG-LER, OF CLINTON, MEESSOURI.

MACHINE FOR HARVESTING AND CUTTING ENSILAGE.

application filed January 29.1914.

2'0 (1/ 10/1 0 m it may, comern Be it known that l. J \Mns wmii SPAN-oLER. a citizen of the l nit d States. residing at- (linton. in thecounty of l lenry and State of Missouri. have invented a new and usefulMachine for Harvesting and (hitting l.nsilage. of which the following ina specification.

This inventi n relates to machines l'or harvesting and cutting: upensilagc. the same being adapted to more oi er a field of handing cornor the like. and to eat. the halls and elevate them. while in nnstandiogor substantially verti al po itions. to a. receiver from whi h they aret ed d wna illy or hot? end. first] in the viii-ting: or :annminn 1;;ineclii'inisnz.

(inc at the old-1w? ot' the pre ent. inveiitiim is t proiide in a li iltmachine. meanwherehy tw !'o\\\ n c harvested simull';kll('-)l and thiglillh'lw' reduced to aconnoinalcd i2il(-1 lllrii the ensilage thus comjiactly within walncing' th mini produced can he l-ir the wag n.eoioeonenilv her of trips nccevar to carry :1 amount it erwilaefe andalso lllHlll'lHll, H ducinq the nliimiill oi ahii i d Further oiyie t isto provide a machine of this type which is :iniple and compact inconatrnctimi.

li'itli the foregoing: and other ohiec in view which will appear a. theil llipl'ini1 nroceeds. the invention re i le in the coniliination andarrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafterdescribed and claimed. it lhlllfl limltistnml that changes in theprecise enilmdinnnt ot' the in tion herein dieclorcd. can he made withinthe scope of what. is claimed. without depa ting from the spirit, oi"the invention.

In the accompanying drawing; the pre terred Form of the invention hasbeen mlluwll.

In said drawings: Figure l is a plan View of the roa h it, pins hein;broken away. Fig. a rear cl nation. parts lieiir l; olo'r awa Fit. ,1sect 'ii. on line .x l) Fig: l. parrl r krn away. FE i a si-ctirn online I) Fie. i. Fifi. i i. a front elevation of the f{21il(lr*3?-.'ll;timp plates li ing' lnwlien awar an certain i i the hartsshown in 'e tion. i i3 is a si -thin on line .li d Fig". 1. Fig. i i:-',a side elevation of the mechanism employed for tran initting motion tothe. movable feed i'oil. Fifi. S a ti-int, levation of the structareshown in Fig. 7. Fig. 9 is an enlarged sec- Specification of LettersPatent.

Patented Nov. 17, 191; Serial No. 813.254.

tioii through a portion of the ensilage cutter. Fig. 10 is a rearelevation of the stationary cutter blade and its holding: means shown inFig. 9. Fig. ll is a plan View of a moditied form of the machine. partsbeing broken away. 7

Referring to the figures by characters of reference 1 designates a frameof any suitable construction. the same being supported at one side by adrive wheel 1' and at its other side by a wheel 3. this last named wheelif desired. b ing provided with means wherehv the frame can be adjustedupwari'lly and downwardly relative thereto.

Supported lay the frame 1 are spaced up- "aand g; re eivers i and 5.each of which is open it its front and top and has a hopperalce bottom(3. pair of gathering frames is extended forward from the frame 1adjacent the front of each of the receivers and Ii and each of ihesegatl'iering frames,

which has i. top inclined, downwardly andforwardly is provided. at itsfront end, with :1 prong S hina'edly connected thereto at and adapted tolll folded upwardly and hacknardlv onto the gatherer. The prong may havelower portion connected to the gather-er by means cl" a pin 9 slidahlymounted in an ear l l carried by the gatherer and a spring 11 may hemounted on the pin and operav a a cushion wherehy the prong is permittedto swing" upwardly to a dimited extent relative to the gatherer but willbe :iutoinaticallr brought hack to its initial position. By detachingpin 9 from the prong, said prone can lie swung upwardly to the positionindicated by dotted lines in Fig. 3. shown in Fig. 4'. the gatherer hasa top plate 12.. This top plate is extended ihronehout the length of thegatherer and is inclined downwardly and inwardly toward the stall;receiving, space 13 formed between the gatherers. The top of each prongand the forward portion of its gatherer are dispcsed in substantiallythe ame plane but A stationary cutter bar 16 is supported by thegatherers directly under the front ends of the inclined portions 11 andclose to the front of frame 1, this cutter extending across the spaces13 and cooperating with a recip rocating cutter bar 17. Arranged withineach of the spaces 13 and directly back of the cutter bars is a smallreel 18 mounted for rotaticn with a shaft 19 receiving motion throughchain and sprocket mechanism 19' from another shaft 20 extendedtransversely of the frame 1 back of and slightly above the shaft 19.This shaft 20 carries spaced pairs of sprockets 21, each pair beinglocated back of one of the reels 18. These sprockets engage an endlesselevator 22 having outstanding cleats 23 extending transversely thereof.The said elevator engages sprockets 21 se cured to a shaft 25 which isextended transversely of the machine close to the lower ends of the openfronts of the receivers 1 and 5. An inclined board 26 is extendeddownwardly and forwardly parallel with the lower flight of the elevator.Sprockets 2T are secured to the shaft 20 and each of these sprocketstransmits motion, through a chain 28, to a sprocket 29 secured to ashort transverse shaft 30 which extends under the inclined board 26.Another sprocket 31 is secured to said shaft 30 and transmits motionthrough a chain 32 to another short transverse shaft 33 extending underthe board 26.

Secured to the shaft 20 are bevel gears 31, these gears being arrangedin pairs and one gear of each pair being located adjacent each side ofthe space 13 or, in other words, close to but back of the plates 15, itbeing under stood that the elevator 22 extends between the plates 15.These gears 31 mesh with bevel gears 35 secured to the lower ends ofupwardly and forwardly inclined shafts 315, the upper ends of the shaftsbeing provided with sprockets 37. These sprockets are en gaged byendless chains 38 which also engage idler sprockets 39, shafts 36 andtoe sprockets 39 being supported by downwardly and frrwardly inclinedstrips 40 mounted within the gathering frame 7. (hains 38 have gatheringfingers 41 outstanding therefrom and adapted to travel successively intothe stalk receiving space 13 adjacent thereto. It is to he understood ofcourse that one of these chains 38 is located Within each of thegathering frames and that the inner flights of the chains move alcng thespaces 13 whereby the gathering I fingers projecting from the chainswill engage the stalks within the spaces 13.

The shaft 30 has bevel gears 42 secured thereto adjacent opposite sidesof the elevator 22 and these gears mesh with bevel gears 43 secured tothe lower ends of forwardly and upwardly inclined shafts 44. The saidshafts are provided, at their upper ends,

with sprockets 45 on which are mounted endless chains 46, these chainsextending upwardly and rearwardly to idler sprockets 47 and there beingsupporting strips 48 along which the chains are extended. These chains46 extend up to the open fronts of the receivers i and respectively andthey are provided with outwardly extending gathering fingers 49 similarto the fingers 41 hereinbefore referred to. These fingers are adapted totravel along the inner faces of the plates 15 so as to engage the stalksand force them rearwardly toward the receivers 4 and 5.

Shaft has a pair of bevel gears 50 secured thereto and these gears meshwith gears 51 secured to the lower ends of up wardly and forwardlyinclined shafts 52. These shafts are provided at their upper ends withsprockets 53 engaged by endless chains 54, the said chains beinginclined downwardly and forwardly and engaging idler sprockets 55. Theseidler sprockets are supported by downwardly and forwardly inclinedstrips 56 which also constitute bearings for the shafts 52. The chains5% are parallel with and disposed close to the top plates of thegatherers and gathering fingers 57 extend from the chains 54 and areadapted to project into the stalk receiving spaces 13.

Secured to the shaft 25 which is driven by the elevator 22, is a pair ofbeveled gears 58 each of which meshes with a bevel gear 59 secured tothe lower end portion of a shaft (50. The shafts extend forwardly andupwardly and are provided at their upper ends with sprockets 61 engagedby endless chains (52. These chains are extended rearwardly and upwardlyclose to and parallel with the tops of the inclined portions if of thegatherers and the upper portions of the chains are engaged by idlersprockets (33. These sprockets are supported by a strip (51 which alsoserves as a bearing for the shaft and the said chains (32 are held closeto and parallel with the tops of the inclined portions 14. Gatheringfingers (35 extend from the chains ()2 and are adapted to trawl alongthe mncr sides of the plates 15 so as thus to engage the stalks fedbetween the plates.

From the foregoing description it will be apparent that when the shaft20 is rotated in one direction so as to cause the upper flight of theelrvator to travel upwardly as indicated by the arrow in Fig. 8, all ofthe shafts 36, 4-1, and 60 will be rotated simultaneously so as to causethe inner flights of the various chains to mow upwardly and rearwardlysimultaneously.

' Shaft 20 rcceivcs its motion through a gear (36 from a gear 67 securedto a shaft 38. A si' rocket 9 is carried by this shaft rod rotatestherewith and this sprocket receives motion, through a chain 70, from acounter shaft 71 which, in turn, has a sprocket 72 driven by a chain 73from a large sprocket 74 revoluble with the drive wheel 2. A bevel gear75 rotates with the counter shaft 71 and meshes with a gear 76 securedto a longitudinal shaft 77 journaled on the frame 1, this shaft carryinga crank disk 78 which transmits motion, through a pitman 7b, to thereciprocatin cutter bar 17.

A draft tongue 80 extends forwardly from the frame, preferably close tothe drive wheel 2 so that the machine can be drawn forward readily byany suitable means. Obviously during this forward movement of themachine, the wheel 2 will be rotated and motion will be transmittedtherefrom through the various chains, sprockets and gears to the partshereinbefore described so that the gathering chains will operate inunison to engage the stalks entering between the gatherers, lift them toupright positions, and hold them upright while being acted upon by thefixed and reciprocating cutters 16 and 17. As soon as the stalks havebeen cut in this manner, the reels 18 engage the butt ends of the stalksand lift them upwardly and rearwardly, depositing said butt ends ontothe elevator 22 where they are engaged by the cleats At. the same timethe upper and intermediate portions of the stalks are engaged by thegathering fingers on the chains 18 and 62 and the stalks are thus heldupright as they are elevated upwardly and rearwardly and dropped intothe receivers 4 and 5 with their butt ends upon the hopper-like bottoms(3. The stalks thus feed downwardly by gravity through the hopper-likebottoms 0 and. into engagement with the mechanism provided for cut tingor comminuting the stalks.

'1 he comminuting mechanism will now be described. Arranged under eachof the re ceivers 1 and 5 is a compartment 81 the bottom of which opensinto a transversely extending trough 82. Fitted within the upper portionof the compartn'icnt 81 and close to the. hopper-like bottom 6 of thereceiver is a corrugated feed roll 83 secured to a revoluble shaft 84. Asupporting plate 85 is pivotally mounted at its lower end upon atransverse shaft 86 extending adjacent one wall of the compartment 81and journalcd in the upper portion of this plate is the shaft 37 of amovable feed roll A sprocket 89 i secured to the shaft 87 and is cnggcdby an endless chain )0 receiving motion from a FfH'OCh'Pi 91 secured tothe shaft #10. A bracket 02 is fixedly connected to the wall f tire-horniartmcnt 81 and slirla lv cngag} iug this bracket is a rod 9. 5extending from the plate 5 and having a spring. Hi thereon \vhirh bearsagainst the bracloa. and

again the plate and serves t press tlli roll yieldingly against the roll5 3, while at the same time permitting said roll 88 to move away fromthe roll 83. A concave 95 is extended under the feed roll 83 and has a.depending car 96 to which are pivotally connected jaws 97 having an arm98 extending therefrom and outside of the compartment 81. Av cuttingblade 99 is clamped betwe n the jaws 97 and the bottom of the concave 95and the jaws are held tightly against this blade by a set screw 100which extends through the arm 98 and bears against the wall of thecompartment 81, as

shown particularly in Fig. 9. An adjusting screw 101 extends through thecar 96 and bears against the blade 09 so that, by means of this screw,the said blade can be shifted beyond the concave 95 to any extentdesired. As shown in Fig. 10, more than one of these screws 101 can beused. Cooperating with the blade 99 is a revoluble cutter including ashaft 102 having arms 103 each of which is provided with a head 104,there being an outstanding rib 105 along the back edge of each head. Anarcuate cutting blade 106 is bolted or otherwise secured upon each headand these blades are eccentrically arranged ith relation to the shaft10:2, their advancing or cutting edges traveling close to the free edgeof the blade 99. Adjusting screws 10? may be mounted in the ribs 105 andmay be used for shiftinr the blades 106 upon the heads 101. A motor 108may be supported by a platform 10'.) on the frame 1, this motortransmitting motion. through a sprocket 110, and a chain 111, to asprocket 112 secured to the shaft 102 of the rcvoluhle cutter. An--other sprocket 11? is driven by the motor and transmits motion through achain 114 to a sprocket 115 secured to the shaft 80. A gear 110 rotateswith shaft so and meshes uith a gear 117 sccurial to a short shaft 118on which is secured a sprocket 119. Motion is transmitted from thissprocket through a chain 120 to a sprocket 121 secured to the shaft 84of the roll 83. A sprocket 121' is secured to shaft 86 adjacent each ofthe compartments 81 and transmits motion through a. chain 122 to asprocket 123 socured to the shaft 87 of roll 88.

From the foregoing it will be seen that when the motor is operated,motion will be transmitted therefrom through the various chains.sprockets and gears to the rolls 83 and 85 so that, when the stalks aredeposited 11 vertical or substantially vertical position; upon theserolls. they will be fed down u ardly to the cooperating fixed andmovable cutters and thus quickly reduced to a comminnted state, theparticles being directed downuariilv into the compartment 81. As theblades become worn they can be readily adjusted by the means described,as will be obvious.

For the purpo e of removing the ensiluge produced, an cndirss convcyer124 is mounted within the trough 82 and extends through an upwardly andlaterally inclined casing 125 to a discharge spout 126. This elevator isin the form of an endless belt made up of chains connected by crosscleats 127. The said chains engage sprockets 128 secured to a. shaft 12)journaled within the sides of the trough at one end thereof. A gear 130rotates with shaft 13$ and meshes with a gear 131 secured to a shaft132. This shaft has a sprocket 1233 which receives motion, through achain 13l,from a sprocket 135 secured to the shaft 86. Sprockets 136 aresupported in the upper end portion of the casing 125 and are engaged bythe chains of the convcyer. Any -:uitahle means, such as idler sprockets115?, can be provided for engaging the chains of the conveyer where theupper flights thereof pass into the casing 125 from the trough 82.Furthermore the casing 125 can be hingcdly' connected to the trough, asshown at 138 so that, when the conveyor is not being used. the casing125 can be folded upwardly out of the way.

It will be understood of course that when the ensilage is deposited uponthe conveyor it will be carried longitudinally in. the trough 82 andthence into casing 125 and hnally deposited into the outlet spout 126from which it can be received by a wagon moving alongsidi': the machine.

It will be apparent that by providing a machine such as hereindescribed, two rows of corn can be simultmicou ly ha rrestcd and the cutstalks carried while in upright pr sition, to the receivers from whichtl v will be fed by gravity to the comminuting mechanism. tonsiapientiythe operation of producing enr lagc i greatly simplified and it becomespo.v dc to provide mechanism which is compact and will not readily outof order. Fiu'thermorc, this structure permits corn of any height to be.harvested without changing any parts of the machine nor necessitatingany adjustment. lly utilizing the hinged prongs 5, they can be laid backon the gaihc crs, thus to permit the machine to be readily moved throughgates and to be transported from place to place.

As shown in Fig. 11, a motor such as lmrctofore described can be,dispenseiil with and the harvesting and conuninuting mechanism can be.driven by the wheel 2. This can be. done in various ways. For examplethe shaft (33 as shown in Fig. 1. can be extended. to form a long shaft121$) having a sprocket H0 from which motion is transmitted through achain ill to a sprocket H2 secured to shaft H 3 corresponding with theshaft on which the sprockets 110 and ii heretofore described aremounted. "llnis \viil sec that the mechanism will he, l without the useof a mow and oirviouslv the same mechanism, can

la: used whether the machine is designed for harvesting one or two rowsat a time.

.Vhat is claimed is 1. A machine for harvesting ensilage', ineludingmeans for severing standing corn, an elevator extending upwardly fromsaid means to convey corn in standing position, and means for liftingthe severed stalks, while standing, onto the elevator.

2. A machine for harvesting ensilage, including means for elevating cornwhile in standing position, means adjacent the lower end of the elevatorfor severing standing corn, and revoluble means for engaging the severedstalks, while standing, and lifting them into standing position on theelevator.

3. A machine for harvesting ensilage, including spaced gatherers, meansbetween the gathercrs for severing standing corn, an endless inclinedelevator leadin from the severing means, endless gathering chainsextending forwardly beyond the elevator, and endless stalk engagingchains above and substantially parallel with the elevator and back ofthe gathering chains, for holding severed alks in substantially uprightpositions upon the elevator.

'1. A machine for harvesting ensilage, including spaced gatherers, meansbetween the gatherers for severing standing corn, an endless inclinedelevator between the rear portions of the gatherers, a receiver havingan open front designed to receive standing stalks from between thegatherers and from the elevator, endless stalk engaging chains carriedby the gatherers and al o\c and substantially parallel with theclevator, and additional stalk engaging chains disposed at angles to thefirst mentioned chains and extending forwardly in advance of theelevator, the first named chains constituting means for holding thestalks in upstanding positions on the eleator.

5. A machine for harvesting ensilage, including a. receiver having anopen front, spaced gatherers extending forwardly therefrom and having astalk receiving space tllClQbttWCtIl, an endless elevator within saidspace for engaging and sup- POltlng stalks in upstanding positions,means for severing standing stalks of corn,

said means being adjacent the front portiofl of the elevator, and meansmounted for ro tation within said space for lifting the.

standing stalks from the severing means and into standing positions onthe elevator.

A machine for harvesting ensilage, including a receiver having an openfront, spaced atherers extending forwardly therefrom and having a stalkreceiving space tlw rebetween, an endless elevator within said space forengaging and supporting upstanding stalks of corn, means within saidtions, into tln; receiver, and endless gnther- -e emtor for severin sace and adjaoentfthefront portion of the standing stalks of corn, meansmounte for rotation Within said space for lifting the standing stalksfrom the severing means and-into standing position on the elevator,endless chains substantially parallel with and above the eleuitm' andcooperating therewith to, move (he sevenl stalks While in standing poshmg chains extending forwardly beyond the levator and at angles to thefirst mentioned Wins.

7. A. harvesting machine including opposed gatherers, and a. pronghingedly con- 15 neoted at its top to the top of the front end of eachgntherer, thereby to swing upwardly and backwardly onto the atherer.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, 1 have hereto aflixedmy signa- 20 time in the presence of two witnesses.

JAMES SAVAGE SPANGLER. Witnesses Jenn O. GILBREATH,

ARTHUR T. DUNCAN.

